Improvement in processes for manufacturing carbureted hydrogen gas



J. H. BOWMAN.

PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING CARB'URE'ITED HYDROGEN GAS.

No. 191,749, Patentedgune 12, 1877.

E I INVENTQFZ:

ILPEIBS. PHOTO-LITHOG-RAFHER. WASHINGTON. 5 .0,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. BOWMAN, OF WARREN, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROCESSES FOR MANUFACTURING CARBURETED HYDROGEN GAS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. 19 1,749, dated June 12, 1877; application filed June 12, 1876.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES H. BOWMAN, of Warren, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new Process of Manufacturing Garbureted Hydrogen Gas, of which the following is a specification:

The object of my invention is to produce a fixed gas for illumination by combining heated carbureted air, hydrogen gas, and the vapors of any hydrocarbon liquid, the same to be so chemically united that they will not separate or condense, but remain a fixed gas for the purposes of illumination.

A B C, Figure 1, represent the end of three retorts placed in a furnace, R, with the firebox at D. The retort A is filled with charcoal or coke or other carbonaceous material. 4 is a pipe, through which ablast or current of air is blown. The retort B is filled with a mixture of charcoal or carbonaceous material and broken fragments ofiron oriron turnings. The

, retort-O is filled with fragments of iron and iron turnin gs or scrap-iron. 5 is a steam-pipe from a suitable steam-boiler, through which a current of steam is admitted into the retort C.

Fig. 2 represents the rear end of the furnace, with the three retorts A B O projecting therefrom. E is a still, filled with petroleum or any hydrocarbon fluid. F is a fire-box. 1 2 3 are pipes opening into the still from the retorts A B O.' Fig. 3 is a side sectional view of the furnace, showing the two retorts A and B. H is a chimney, E the still, and 6 the pipe by which the gas is conveyed to the purifier, and, as in the common gas-works, purified before being admitted into the gas-main for consumption.

The operation of my process is as follows, to wit: When the retorts have all been filled, as described, and heated by the tire in the furnace R, a blast of air-is blown through 4 into the retort A, which is filled with charcoal, coke, or other carbonaceous material. The

air, in its passage through the retort, becomes highly charged with carbon, and then passes into the still E, which is filled with the heated vapor of the hydrocarbon liquid thrown off by the fire in fire-box F. Steam from a boiler is passed through the retort G, which is filled with fragments of iron. In its passage the steam is decomposed, the oxygen uniting with the heated iron, the hydrogen is liberated, and passes ofi' through the tube 1 (see Fig. 2) into the still E, where it mixes with the vapors of hydrocarbon and air,and then this combination passes through the tube 3 into the retort B, which is filled with fragments of iron and coal or coke. Here the combination is again subjected to great beat, any surplus oxygen taken up by the iron, and any deficiency of hydrogen and carbon supplied by the coke and carbonaceous material in the retort, and a perfect chemical union of all the vapors formed into carbureted hydrogen gas.

What I claim as my invention is- The herein-described process of making carbnreted hydrogen gasthat is to say, by passing steam into a heated retort containing iron or other suitable metal, and by passing air into another heated retort containing charcoal, coke, or other suitable carbonaceous material, the gases so generated being then passed from said retorts into a still or suitable chamber and mixed with hydrocarbon vapors there generated, the gases and vapors so united being then passed into and through athird heated retort containing a mixture of carbonaceous material and metal in suitable form, whereby the gases and vapors become chemically and permanently combined in the form of carbureted hydrogen gas, ready for illuminating purposes, substantially as set forth.

JAMES H. BOWMAN.

Witnesses:

A. B. RICHMOND, J osEPH T. WHITE. 

